Rockwall commissioners split over funding plan for sheriff’s remodel; court approves $204,000 ARPA addendum

Rockwall County commissioners debated how to fund a remodeled sheriff’s operations center — a project officials said now costs roughly $7.3–7.4 million — and voted to reallocate $204,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the project.

Judge David New and Commissioner Nico Stacy, who presented the remodel plan, said the project originally estimated at much lower cost ran over as scope and project costs changed during jail construction. Stacy outlined a three‑phase approach intended to allow work to start under available funds and to ensure federal ARPA timing requirements are met. He said the county has about $5.4 million committed to the remodel from a mix of ARPA, jail bond remnants and a general fund transfer, leaving an estimated $1.9 million shortfall.

Commissioners pressed on alternatives, including scaling back scope to fit the budget or identifying other one‑time funds. Commissioner Dana Lichty and Commissioner Frank Galana voiced concern about further draws on county reserves and the possibility of delaying other priorities such as roads. Judge New argued the county owed voters the sheriff’s remodel tied to prior bond language and said accepting ARPA money to complete promised work was preferable to returning grant funds.

Commissioners were presented a written three‑phase scope. Phase 1 focuses on converting an existing south wing of the former jail and building a temporary footprint for operations; later phases shift remaining office and EOC work. Project managers said the cost concentration in phase 1 reflects early procurement of furniture, fixtures and equipment and substantial IT/AV and temporary relocation costs required to keep public safety operations running during construction.

After discussion, the court voted 5–0 to approve addendum No. 2 to the memorandum of understanding between Rockwall County and the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office to move roughly $204,000 of ARPA monies from the county annex project into the sheriff’s remodel budget. Commissioners also discussed a broader funding plan that would use ARPA, portions of remaining jail bond funds and an additional draw on reserves to complete the work; no final vote on the overall funding package was taken at the meeting.

The remodel discussion raised repeated questions about timing tied to mandatory ARPA spending deadlines, the county’s reserve policy and whether value engineering could reduce costs to stay within available funds. Managers said multiple contract prices had already been bid and the presented phasing reflected the current negotiated pricing.

The court did not adopt a final finance package for the full remodel during this meeting. Officials said a contract vote is expected at a subsequent court meeting once final legal and contract reviews are completed.